Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone

Tag Archives: Asian American Discrimination

NJ Appeals Court Upholds Dismissal of Hostile Work Claim

The New Jersey Court of Appeals has ruled that an Asian-American firefighter who was clearly harassed on one-occasion by a ranking officer, was not subjected to a hostile work environment and thus does not have a right to recover from the fire department. Firefighter Timothy Burkhard filed suit against the City of Plainfield.

San Francisco Assistant Chief Alleges Harassment and Retaliation

An assistant chief with the San Francisco Fire Department has filed suit claiming she has been targeted by ranking officers because of her gender, because of her Asian-American ancestry, because she is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, for reporting misconduct within the department, and for her outspoken support of other victims of discrimination.

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

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